schoolsbycounty

Gulf County Schools & Education

School Score

34/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

87.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

87.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 89.8%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,823

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,118

School Score

34/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 36/100

State Score Position

#43

of 67 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Gulf County

Measured School Summary

Gulf County faces educational challenges with a school score of 34/100 and a graduation rate of 87.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,823 per pupil, Gulf County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 7% below the Florida average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 2.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 12% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Gulf County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

7 public schools and 1 district are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

34/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #43 of 67 Florida counties with school score data.

Completion

87.0%

2.8 pts below the state average

Funding context

$6,823

$705 above the state average

School coverage

7

1 district represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Gulf County has 7 public schools across 1 district, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Gulf County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Small-system county

Gulf County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.

State position

#43

of 67 Florida counties with school score data. The county score is 2 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

GULF

Elementary and high visible

1,928 students

Elementary 3Middle 0High 4Other 0

7 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

GULF is the largest listed district slice, with 7 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Gulf County?

Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?

Where do students transition after the visible grade band, and is that next school inside the same district path?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Gulf County, Florida

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Rural Schooling by the Coast

Gulf County provides a focused educational system with 7 public schools serving 1,928 students. The network includes three elementary schools and four high schools, all managed by one central district. The system maintains a traditional public school structure with no charter schools currently operating.

Unified Leadership in the Gulf District

The Gulf School District manages all 1,928 students across its seven campuses. Port St. Joe Elementary and Port St. Joe High School are the largest facilities, each serving over 500 students. This district-led approach ensures that resources are distributed across the county's rural school sites.

A Fully Rural Educational Landscape

All 7 schools in Gulf County are located in rural areas, fostering a close-knit, community-driven atmosphere. Schools are moderately sized, averaging 386 students, which balances social opportunities with personalized attention. The largest campus is Port St. Joe Elementary, while the PreK ESE program offers specialized care for just 15 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

7

in Gulf County

Reported Enrollment

1,928

7 schools reporting

School Districts

1

district

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary3
Middle0
High4
Other0

1 School District in Gulf County

GULF

7 schools
1,928 students enrolled

7 Public Schools in Gulf County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 7 of 7 matching schools

PORT ST. JOE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

GULF

PORT ST JOE, 32456 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–6Primary534 students

PORT ST. JOE HIGH SCHOOL

GULF

PORT ST JOE, 32456 / Rural: Fringe

Record7–12High512 students

WEWAHITCHKA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

GULF

WEWAHITCHKA, 32465 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary504 students

WEWAHITCHKA HIGH SCHOOL

GULF

WEWAHITCHKA, 32465 / Rural: Distant

Record6–12High363 students

PREK ESE

GULF

PORT ST. JOE, 32456 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Special Education15 students

GULF APEX

GULF

PORT ST JOE, 32456 / Rural: Fringe

Record7–12Virtual0 students

GULF VIRTUAL FRANCHISE

GULF

PORT ST JOE, 32456 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12Virtual0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,823

State avg $6,118

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Gulf County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which Florida counties have the highest graduation rates?
Lafayette County (97.0%), Columbia County (96.0%), and Seminole County (95.0%) currently lead Florida among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Florida?
Across Florida counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $6,118. The highest current county values are Monroe County ($9,238), Jefferson County ($9,157), and Franklin County ($7,953). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Gulf County?
Gulf County has a school score of 34/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Gulf County?
The high school graduation rate in Gulf County is 87.0%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Gulf County spend per student?
Gulf County spends $6,823 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Gulf County, Florida — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Gulf County, Florida?

Gulf County provides a focused educational system with 7 public schools serving 1,928 students. The network includes three elementary schools and four high schools, all managed by one central district. The system maintains a traditional public school structure with no charter schools currently operating.

What are the major school districts in Gulf County, Florida?

The Gulf School District manages all 1,928 students across its seven campuses. Port St. Joe Elementary and Port St. Joe High School are the largest facilities, each serving over 500 students. This district-led approach ensures that resources are distributed across the county's rural school sites.

What is the school experience like in Gulf County?

All 7 schools in Gulf County are located in rural areas, fostering a close-knit, community-driven atmosphere. Schools are moderately sized, averaging 386 students, which balances social opportunities with personalized attention. The largest campus is Port St. Joe Elementary, while the PreK ESE program offers specialized care for just 15 students.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.